{"id":76743,"date":"2026-04-23T10:21:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T16:21:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=76743"},"modified":"2026-04-27T11:02:51","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T17:02:51","slug":"libraries-offer-free-access-passes-to-colorado-state-parks-and-attractions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/libraries-offer-free-access-passes-to-colorado-state-parks-and-attractions\/","title":{"rendered":"Libraries offer free access passes to Colorado state parks and attractions"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Lory
Lory State Park west of Fort Collins offers great hikes and water access. Library members can get free access to the park though the “Check out a park” program. Photo by Joel Blocker, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Your community public library has always been a place to access knowledge and explore the world through books and videos. Now, libraries offer opportunities for learning in different habitats and places.<\/span><\/p>\n

More than 100 public Colorado libraries are part of<\/a> the Colorado Parks and Wildlife<\/a> \u201cCheck out a pass\u201d program, and many more offer members\u2019 free online passes to dozens of local museums, galleries and attractions around the state.

Check out this year’s “free days”<\/a> at Denver’s cultural institutions. <\/span>Or free days at national parks, monuments and historic sites<\/a>.<\/div><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes, paying for these passes is unattainable for families,\u201d said Holly Bucks, circulation supervisor for Poudre Libraries\u2019 Old Town Library in Fort Collins. The cost of admission for a family of four to the Denver Museum of Natural History and Science may not be affordable but by using a library pass program, families can get in for free for a day. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLibraries are trying to make everything in our state more accessible, and these partnerships allow for that,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Check out a pass: Get a free pass to visit any Colorado state park<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Colorado has 42 state parks that offer various year-round recreational opportunities such as hiking, fishing, birdwatching or snowshoeing. These state parks require an entrance pass.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Rifle
Rifle Falls State Park. Photo by Denise Chambers\/Miles.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But Colorado now offers residents a state parks pass for an additional $29 fee on their vehicle registration as part of the Keep Colorado Wild Pass<\/a> program. In 2023, nearly 30% of drivers opted in for that pass.<\/span><\/p>\n

For those who don\u2019t have a park pass and want to see what they are missing, checking out a 7-day state parks pass from the library might be a great option.<\/span><\/p>\n

To use the ‘Check out a pass’ program, follow these steps:<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n